Nogger's Blog

25/10/10 -- Winter grain plantings in Ukraine are around 90% done at 7.64 million hectares, according to the local Ag Ministry. Total winter sown area is expected to come in at 8.5 million hectares.

Winter wheat sowings are ahead of last season at 6.3 million hectares (6.0 million in 2009), whilst winter barley area is down at 970,000 (1.14 million). The final winter wheat area is forecast at 6.76 million hectares, up slightly from last season.

My Ukraine agronomist chum Mike Lee reports on his blog here that "a lot of wheat has been planted late which will increase the risk of winter kill and what does make it through the winter will be lower yielding because it was planted late."

Although he does sat that "what has gone in is growing well and there are plenty of good looking crops around the regions."